Ronnie Hamilton is in his fourth year as assistant coach for the Rebels, having been hired by head coach Kermit Davis in March 2018. Hamilton has been alongside Davis for the past seven seasons, three at Ole Miss and four at Middle Tennessee.
 
Working with the guards, Hamilton’s guidance has led to the growth of several Rebels. In his three seasons in Oxford, a Rebel has been named All-SEC four times. Devontae Shuler was the latest First Team All-SEC guard, leading the Rebels in scoring as a senior and earning the 2021 Howell Trophy as the best men’s college basketball player in the state of Mississippi. Breein Tyree earned first team all-conference honors in back-to-back seasons (2018-19, 2019-20), while Terence Davis (Sacramento Kings) collected All-SEC accolades during his senior campaign (2018-19).
 
A top recruiter, Hamilton made an immediate impact as Ole Miss’ 2019 class ranked top-20 nationwide, one of the highest-ranked recruiting classes in school history. The 2020 class and the 2021 class featured the top two rated recruits Ole Miss has ever signed.
 
In each of the past two offseasons, Hamilton was selected to participate in the prestigious TopConnect Basketball Symposium. The annual event identifies the top assistant basketball coaches in the country and connects them with mid-major athletic directors, providing tremendous networking and leadership development opportunities.
 
Hamilton helped the Rebels return to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in four seasons. Ole Miss exceeded expectations after being picked to finish last in the SEC, posting a 20-13 (10-8 SEC) record to place sixth in the conference standings and earn a berth to March Madness.
 
In his first season at Ole Miss, Hamilton helped mentor the highest scoring duo in the SEC in all-conference guards Tyree (first team) and Terence Davis (second team). Focusing on defense, Devontae Shuler (56) and Terence Davis (54) became the first pair of Rebels to tally at least 54 steals in the same season. The Rebels also shot 78.3 percent from the free throw line, a school record that ranked fourth in the country.

Before coming to Ole Miss, Hamilton was at Middle Tennessee for four seasons, assisting the program in one of the best runs in school history. With Davis and fellow Rebel assistant Win Case, he helped produce a stretch in which the Blue Raiders earned three straight Conference USA championships, recorded two NCAA Tournament upsets over No. 2 seed Michigan State (2016) and No. 5 seed Minnesota (2017) and won a school-record 31 games (2016).
 
Before arriving at Middle Tennessee, Hamilton was familiar with Conference USA due to stints at Houston and Tulane. The Oxford, North Carolina, native joined the Blue Raider coaching staff after a two-year stop at Houston.

During the 2012-13 season, Hamilton helped the Cougars post a 20-13 record and a 7-9 mark in C-USA play before they made the move to the American Athletic Conference.

In his first season with Houston, Hamilton worked closely with guard Joseph Young, who was named to the All-Conference USA Third Team and was selected to the USBWA All-District VII squad. During the 2012-13 campaign, Hamilton also worked closely with Danuel House, who went on to garner C-USA Freshman of Year honors, marking a program first for Houston in C-USA.

Prior to his two years at Houston, Hamilton spent a pair of years on the Tulane coaching staff. With the Green Wave, he played a large role in recruiting 2012 All-Conference USA First Team honoree and C-USA Freshman of the Year Ricky Tarrant. Hamilton was also heavily involved in recruiting Josh Davis, who was a First Team All-C-USA player during the 2012-13 season.

Hamilton served two years as an assistant at The Citadel, where he was instrumental in the development and recruitment of All-Southern Conference selection and mid-major All-Americans Demetrius Nelson, John Brown, Michael Groselle and Cameron Wells. While on the Bulldog coaching staff, Hamilton helped lead The Citadel to 36 wins, including a school-record tying 20 wins during the 2008-09 campaign.

Hamilton made his way to Charleston, South Carolina after a three-year stint at Division II member Tarleton State from 2005-08. The Texans posted a 70-23 record, picking up wins against Baylor and TCU during his tenure in Stephenville, Texas. In 2005-06, Tarleton State made the program’s second-straight Elite Eight appearance and posted a 27-7 overall record.

In 2005, Hamilton graduated with his master’s in physical education with a concentration in sports administration from UNC Pembroke, where he served as a graduate assistant coach for the Braves from 2003-05. As a GA at Pembroke, he was responsible for planning practices, leading on-floor coaching, heading up the strength and conditioning program and handling film exchange, while also serving as the recruiting coordinator.

He received his bachelor’s degree in political science and history from Duke in 2002. Hamilton was a four-year letterman for the Blue Devil football team as a defensive back.
 
Hamilton has four children – Jalyn, Ryan, Annalisa and Bryson. He is married to the former Christabell Mariner.
 

COACHING CAREER
Year(s)	School	Position
2019-Pres.	Ole Miss	Assistant Coach
2015-18	Middle Tennessee	Assistant Coach
2013-14	Houston	Assistant Coach
2011-12	Tulane	Assistant Coach
2009-10	Citadel	Assistant Coach
2006-08	Charleston State	Assistant Coach
2004-05	UNC Pembroke	Graduate Assistant